It's nice to hear others talk about their stuff. We will have to get rid of a lot of stuff, but we are willing to do it if we are lucky enough to move to The Villages. We are hoping to leave a lot of stuff at the house when it sells.

I really think a professional estate sale is the way to go. I did that and came away with $12K for stuff i didn't want and don't miss. Dealers will come and buy.
























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Trust me, the more you let go of "things" the better you feel. After selling 2 homes in NC last April and May, we moved to TV one day after our last closing date. Even though, we did let go of many "things" the movers delivered our belongings in July after we closed on our TV home. If I had it to do all over again. I would have sold and/or gave away the furniture I had in NC and replenished in FL. Moving companies are expensive

Consider these options:
1. Start decluttering right away because seven years will go quick. I found the more I decluttered, the more decluttering, I needed to do. Especially paperwork and clothing.
2. If you haven't touched it, in a year, you won't miss it or need it.
3. The older you get, it's harder to clean-up, when you have too much stuff. You would wind-up decluttering at some point, when you are in TV, so do it now.
4. I used to be a pack rat, and had tons of stuff I never looked at, but kept, in case I needed it. I never needed it.
5. The real estate sale idea is excellent, to get rid of stuff.
6. In today's world, you never get full value for used stuff, unless it's something like art or antiques.

I found moving from one state to another, is much more difficult, as you have to decide what to keep, and what to throw away. It's also better to buy new furniture to fit the FL lifestyle, as it will cost more, to bring all your stuff down. IMHO

Going through all your stuff will be very time consuming, so it's smart to start now, and be able to do it, a little at a time.

I hope this helps you.

Thanks for all the great comments. Perhaps we should rename this thread "The catharsis of purging"! LOL To be sure, I have been eliminating already. I've been selling my more valuable books on eBay and Amazon, my bulkier expensive items on Craigslist, and our living room is jam-packed with goodies for an upcoming yardsale... doubtless the first of many. I suspect that the task will get easier, at least for a while, since we are tending to get rid of the valuable but never used stuff first, next will be kind of junky stuff we never should have kept to begin with, last will be the stuff we actually use here but won't need there: inappropriate furniture and decor, excess housewares and clothing, lawn care equipment and tools. I've planned the wor, now it's time to work the plan!

I sell on Amazon, eBay and Craigslist. In addition most communities have yard sale groups on Facebook that tend to be a little more personal than Craigslist and are easy to sell on. I use these also.

The key is to pick the right place for the stuff. In general:

Craigslist: bulky items, common items, bundled items that do not sell well on their own

eBay: collectibles, brand names - And don't get sucked into their suggestion to start goods at .99 cent auctions - eBay has become more of a buy it now marketplace than an auction house. Price your goods at what you are willing to take for them unless you have something really special that will do well at auction.

Amazon: not just for media - you can also sell many goods that Amazon carries. I have sold weights, an electronic keyboard, games and more on Amazon.

There are great apps and sites available that can help you figure out profit and loss from sales and if it is worth your time.

For shipping goods, eBay has discounted shipping. I use a scale and weigh things and calculate the shipping at USPS. I keep on hand a supply of mailers purchased in bulk and recycle boxes.

Watch out for selling anything you can't afford to lose. Unfortunately there are scams on these sites with buyers returning different merchandise, saying they never got it etc.

Craigslist is great. No fees - cash and carry. There are email scrapers so watch out for odd emails where the items is not referenced or they ask you to email them directly. Do not use Western Union or accept checks. Cash only.

It really is fun cutting back on the stuff and awesome when you make money at the same time!